Little Johnny shrugged and replied: “My teacher isn’t very good.” Johnny’s father was astonished by his excuse and urged him to expand. “Well, on Monday, my teacher said 3+5 = 8.”
“So?” his father replied.
The father’s “astonished” reaction to this explanation further underscores the significance of Johnny’s claim. His urging of Johnny to “expand” on this point suggests a willingness, however grudging, to at least consider the possibility that the teacher may bear some responsibility for the poor test performance. This openness to hearing Johnny out, even if temporarily, represents a glimmer of nuance in what could have been a straightforward disciplinary interaction.
“Then on Tuesday, she told us 4+4 = 8, and on Wednesday she said 6+2 = 8,” explained the child., “If she doesn’t know what equals eight, how am I supposed to know the right answer?”
His grade was so terrible that his teacher called home to speak with his father. When he got home that afternoon, his father stood crossly at the doorway. “Why did you fail your math test?” he inquired.